Quattro Formaggi Ep [Enhanced] [EP]

quattro formaggi ep [enhanced] [ep]

Track Listings
1. Honesty Anyway
2. Behind Her
3. Return
4. 32 Stories

Quattro Formaggi Ep,Dogstar,Volcano,Alternative Pop/Rock,Grunge,Post-Grunge,Rock

Quattro Formaggi Ep [Enhanced] [EP]
A Day to Remember - Instrumental Music for Your Wedding Day
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A Beautiful Wedding
  • Wonderful!
  • Good CD for Wedding
  • A Day To Remember--Instrumental Music for Your Wedding Day, O'Neill Brothers
  • great choice!
 A Day to Remember - Instrumental Music for Your Wedding Day
O'Neill Brothers
Manufacturer: O'Neill Brothers
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. A Day to Remember vol II
  2. Classical Wedding
  3. 25 Wedding Favorites
  4. Heart Beats: Now & Forever - Timeless Wedding Songs
  5. I Will Be Here: 25 of Today's Best Wedding & Love Songs

ASIN: B000066RG3
Release Date: 2002-04-25

Tracks:

  1. Falling in Love - Tim and Ryan O'Neill
  2. Wachet Auf - J.S. Bach
  3. Air on a G String - J.S. Bach
  4. Air (from Water Music) - Handel
  5. Reminiscent Joy - Tim and Ryan O'Neill
  6. Canon in D - Pachelbel
  7. Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring - J.S. Bach
  8. The Wedding Song (There is Love) - Stookey
  9. Ave Maria - Schubert
  10. I Will Be Here - Steven Curtis Chapman
  11. The Gift of Love (Water is Wide melody)
  12. Spring (from The Four Seasons) - Vivaldi
  13. Ode to Joy - Beethoven
  14. From This Moment On - Shania Twain
  15. The Way You Look Tonight - Kern
  16. Forever in Love - Kenny G

Album Description

After performing at more than 200 weddings, Tim and Ryan O'Neill recorded this beautiful CD of favorite wedding songs. It features a full hour of instrumental piano, string quartet, flute, and guitar music that can be played at your ceremony or reception.

It also gives suggestions for music at your wedding, including a special bridal website!
*Over 1,000 song titles listed
*Listen to samples of songs
*More ideas for each part of your ceremony, reception, and dance

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A Beautiful Wedding.......2007-07-10

This CD made all the difference in our wedding celebration. The songs were simply beautiful. The CD was delivered promptly. I would definitely buy from this vendor again.

5 out of 5 stars Wonderful!.......2007-03-23

This is exactly what I was looking for for my wedding day. It's a beautiful cd, absolutely perfect.

5 out of 5 stars Good CD for Wedding.......2007-03-21

All great music for weddings. It really does have all the music I want to use!

5 out of 5 stars A Day To Remember--Instrumental Music for Your Wedding Day, O'Neill Brothers.......2007-02-07

The music was just perfect for our wedding--not too formal, not too simple.

5 out of 5 stars great choice!.......2007-01-10

There are so many different songs to choose from on this cd and it's a great buy. whether you want to play it while eating dinner at the wedding, to walking down the isle, it's wonderful!!!!
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Poor quality recording.
  • Four Seasons - Ozawa
  • This is the best recording of "The Four Seasons" I have found yet.
  • Lovely!
  • By far the best recording of the Four Seasons
 Vivaldi: The Four Seasons

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Bach - The Complete Brandenburg Concertos / Pearlman, Boston Baroque
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  4. Mozart: The Great Piano Concertos, Vol. 1
  5. Messiah (George Frederick Handel) London Philharmonic Orchestra

ASIN: B000003CSU
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. Allegro
  2. Largo
  3. Allegro
  4. Allegro Non Molto
  5. Adagio
  6. Presto
  7. Allegro
  8. Adagio Molto
  9. Allegro
  10. Allegro Non Molto
  11. Largo
  12. Allegro

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars Poor quality recording........2007-01-19

Right after I load in to CD player. Oh my god! I thought I play my old old LP with my turn table.... there's needle scratch noise. right after finished song before it start next music play shocking needle scratches. somebody made this CD from old LP Wow!!!

5 out of 5 stars Four Seasons - Ozawa.......2006-08-28

The Four Seasons by Vivaldi always provides for 'easy listening'. Hearing it when conducted by Seiji Ozawa makes it even better. I have it on another CD which I now keep in the car, but the CD on which Ozaza conducts the BSO is the one I keep at my computer for near-daily listening.

By the way, your quick, efficient service was noted and is appreciated.

regards,
P.A Mancini

5 out of 5 stars This is the best recording of "The Four Seasons" I have found yet........2006-08-16

I have not yet found a better recording of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" than this one by the Boston Symphony on the Telarc label. It is so clear and crisp and Joel Silverstein will move you with his violin. Highly recommended for any lover of Vivaldi!

5 out of 5 stars Lovely!.......2006-03-13

This is an excellent recording of this work. Crisp, clear sound from world-class performers. I couldn't be more pleased.

5 out of 5 stars By far the best recording of the Four Seasons.......2006-02-03

Head and shoulders above the rest, this recording recieved a grammy nomination. After hearing this CD, I find it difficult to listen to other recordings of The Four Seasons. The playing is extremely tight and doesnt have the over dramatic flair which is so common and unwelcome on other recordings. Just listen to a preview clip of 'Presto' (Summer) on this CD and the various other Four Seasons Offerings here on Amazon and you understand what I am talking about.
Vivaldi: Four Seasons [Hybrid SACD]
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Accessible and enjoyable Vivaldi
 Vivaldi: Four Seasons [Hybrid SACD]

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  4. Dark Side of the Moon 30th Anniversary Edition
  5. Telarc SACD Sampler: Sound and Vision

ASIN: B0007PL7WI
Release Date: 2005-11-08

Tracks:

  1. Allegro
  2. Largo
  3. Allegro
  4. Allegro Non Molto
  5. Adagio/Presto
  6. Presto
  7. Allegro
  8. Adagio Molto
  9. Allegro
  10. Allegro Non Molto
  11. Largo
  12. Allegro

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Accessible and enjoyable Vivaldi.......2006-03-19

Vivaldi is practically as synonymous with virtuosic violin arrangements as McDonalds is with fat. Practically. Janine Jansen's arrangements for Vivaldi's Four Seasons is stark, graceful, and engaging- she assigns only one musician per part. The sometimes overwhleming grandeur of fully orchestrated arrangements is appreciatively mellowed, allowing the ear to really hear each musician and their expected "virtuosic" and precise talent. Though mellowed to nearly Starbucks ambiance, the arrangements manage to retain the energy and excitement of Vivaldi in a fresh and accessible new form.
Vivaldi and Piazzolla: Eight Seasons
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Music ALIVE!
  • Full Circle With Kremer's Eight Seasons
  • Rapturous
  • "Eight wonders"
  • From the River Plate (Rio de la Plata).
 Vivaldi and Piazzolla: Eight Seasons

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  2. Hommage A Piazzolla
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  4. Four Seasons of Buenos Aires
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ASIN: B0000206A4
Release Date: 2000-02-29

Tracks:

  1. 'La Primavera' - Concerto In E Major, Op. 8 No. 1: Allegro
  2. 'La Primavera' - Concerto In E Major, Op. 8 No. 1: Largo
  3. 'La Primavera' - Concerto In E Major, Op. 8 No. 1: Allegro
  4. Verano Porteno: Summer In Buenos Aires
  5. 'L'Estate' - Concerto In G Minor, Op. 8 No. 2: Allegro Non Molto
  6. 'L'Estate' - Concerto In G Minor, Op. 8 No. 2: Adagio
  7. 'L'Estate' - Concerto In G Minor, Op. 8 No. 2: Presto
  8. Otono Porteno: Autumn In Buenos Aires
  9. 'L'Autunno' - Concerto In F Major, Op. 8 No. 3: Allegro
  10. 'L'Autunno' - Concerto In F Major, Op. 8 No. 3: Adagio Molto
  11. 'L'Autunno' - Concerto In F Major, Op. 8 No. 3: Allegro
  12. Invierno Porteno: Winter In Buenos Aires
  13. 'L'Invierno' - Concerto In F Minor, Op. 8 No. 4: Allegro Non Molto
  14. 'L'Invierno' - Concerto In F Minor, Op. 8 No. 4: Largo
  15. 'L'Invierno' - Concerto In F Minor, Op. 8 No. 4: Allegro
  16. Primavera Portena: Spring In Buenos Aires

Amazon.com

Despite global warming, Vivaldi's The Four Seasons is more popular than ever. But it still seems strange that Gidon Kremer and his Kremerata Baltica ensemble--a group that continues to stun us with riveting performances of lesser-heard works--would tackle the tried-and-true baroque masterpiece. Luckily, Kremer inventively separates each Vivaldi season with a corresponding composition from Astor Piazzolla's Four Seasons Suite, making for fascinating comparisons. Kremer's performances of the Vivaldi are remarkable, sounding solid and fresh. And like an infectious Broadway musical, Piazzolla's seasons always seem on the verge of a giddy dance number. Kremer really gets to show off on these tango-inspired pieces, but he's charming throughout. The programming probably won't make this your reference Four Seasons, but for those who love their Vivaldi in small doses or fans of Kremer's Tango Ballet disc, this is a must-have. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Music ALIVE!.......2006-03-12

I really know hardly anything about Argentinan music or Kremer, but I bought this album after I became enraptured with the spring and summer suites at a ballet. My local company created a piece inspired by the works of expatriate artist Amaranth Ehrenhalt and set to alternating Vivaldi and Piazzola selections. I was amazed by how Vivaldi's Seasons took on new life. Everything was vivid and fluid and meshed perfectly with the dance. I recommend this--you can truely feel the seasons alive in all of their glory.
BTW: Rio de la Plata means River of Silver.

5 out of 5 stars Full Circle With Kremer's Eight Seasons.......2005-10-19

Gidon Kremer has been building himself quite the reputation as an interpreter of the music of the late and great Argentine musical polymath, Astor Piazzolla. Here he takes the very well-known Four Seasons of Vivaldi and stands them up to the Four Seasons of Piazzolla and the result is an aural delight.
Most who are reading this are probably curious about this CD for one of two reasons: either they are Vivaldi fans, or they are Piazzolla fans. But who says that being a fan of one has to exclude the other? After you listen to this, you are likely to become a fan of the music of both composers and of Gidon Kremer as well if you were not already.
Being a huge Piazzolla fan,I never tire of hearing different interpretations of one of his most important works. The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires may be born of tango, but it is much more than that. It is a masterful marriage of classical elements with those of tango. Piazzolla could do many things with music and what he has created with his Four Seasons is an electrifying blend that will stand the test of time.
And so here is Gidon Kremer with yet another skillful and faithful interpretation of the both the spirit and the letter of Astor Piazzolla's music, cleverly juxtaposed with that of one of the Old Masters. Kremer brings us full circle with his presentation of the Four Seasons sequences of both composers, beginning with Vivaldi's La Primavera (Spring) and after a musical journey through the year, ending with Primavera Portena (Buenos Aires Spring) so that we finish where we began.
Kremer and his Kremerata Baltica do a virtuoso job throughout. Though I am a partisan of the music of Piazzolla, I enjoy Kremer's interpretation of Vivaldi as well. If you know and love this music as I do, then Eight Seasons merits an esteemed slot in your CD collection.

5 out of 5 stars Rapturous.......2004-07-21

Parts of this recording are so beautiful that when I listen while working, I have to pause what I am doing and close my eyes. I don't remember how I ended up buying this CD (it certainly wasn't planned), but I am so grateful.

My rabbit hates it though. When I listen to it at home, he stamps his feet. So I can only listen to it at work. :(

5 out of 5 stars "Eight wonders".......2003-02-24

Gidon Kremer's musical explorations were very famous from the beginning and during the last few years he is gaining almost a "classical superstar" status. I was a little suspicious about those beautifully packaged CDs with sort of "trendy" and almost too interesting sounding titles for serious classical achievements. BUT!! I couldn't be more wrong. "After Mozart" or "Eight Seasons" seem to be some of the most inspiring recordings I've heard. While listening to "Eight Seasons" at "concert" levels in a privacy of my room, I felt "goose bumps" for several times and I had to laugh out of pleasure, thinking: this is SOOO good. Gidon Kremer and his "baltic fresh" Kremerata Baltica are pursuing and tacking the pure essence of music. Programming the mix of Piazzola and Vivaldi doesn't seem extraordinary anymore. It is pure music, pure joy. Technical bravura and excellent sound are only side things. Tango nuevo - widely popularized music form and one of the most (ab)used baroque masterpieces join as one in a fresh and artistically meaningful entity. What more can we wish for ?
Piazzola sounds energetic and powerful and Vivaldi the freshest out of numerous interpretetions. Mixed in an interesting sequence they form a new "Opus".

I also strongly recommend "After Mozart" with its mixture of contemporary music and timeless, for many "godlike" Mozart. A recording that makes him human and even more divine at the same time.

5 out of 5 stars From the River Plate (Rio de la Plata)........2002-11-10

The River Plate, an akward translation from the spanish "Rio de la Plata", is the widest river on the world. It both separates and bonds Buenos Aires with Montevideo, capitals cities of Argentina and Uruguay respectively. If I could ask Billy Joel how would he name this river, I think that much alike his excellent album "River of Dreams", he would call it "River of Tango".
Yesterday night I attended Mr. Kremer and the Baltic Kamerata's performance, where in addition to Mahler's 10th Adaggio, they played these "eight seasons". I think that for Mr. Kremer and his ensemble, coming to play to South America and precisely to the birthplace of tango, could be a "tour the force".
Well, he & the Kamerata were magnificient, classy. He kept us on our feet, applauding, for more than fifteen minutes.
This CD has capture the thrilling of his live performances.It is the kind of recording that becomes a milestone in our "audio memory", as Mr. Karajan liked to say. Enjoy it.
Best of the Canadian Brass
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A Must!
  • great music
  • The one you need
 Best of the Canadian Brass

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. The Essential Canadian Brass
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ASIN: B0000026Z3
Release Date: 1989-11-20

Tracks:

  1. Vespers Of The Blessed Virgin: Deus in adjutorium - Monteverdi
  2. Canzon V - Canadian Brass
  3. Canon In D - Pachelbel
  4. Le Nozze Di Figaro, K. 492: Overture - Mozart
  5. Le Nozze Di Figaro, K. 492: Non Piu Andrai - Mozart
  6. Ave Verum Corpus - Mozart
  7. Die Zauberflote: Der Holle Rache - Mozart
  8. Exultate Jubilate: Alleluia - Mozart
  9. Piano sonata in A major: Rondo Alla Turca - Mozart
  10. The Four Seasons: I - Allegro (Spring) - Canadian Brass
  11. The Four Seasons: II - Largo (Winter) - Canadian Brass
  12. The Four Seasons: III - Presto (Summer) - Canadian Brass
  13. The Four Seasons: IV - Allegro (Autumn) - Canadian Brass
  14. Contrapunctus I (Andante Sostenuto) - Bach
  15. Contrapunctus XIII (Rectus, Allegro Spiritoso) - Bach
  16. Basin Street Blues - Canadian Brass
  17. Chinatown, My Chinatown - Canadian Brass
  18. Just A Closer Walk With Thee - Traditional
  19. The Saints' Halleluja - Canadian Brass

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A Must!.......2004-12-28

This is a must have for any fan of brass instrumentals. (Especially if you are a fan of the Canadian Brass.)

5 out of 5 stars great music.......2000-12-18

I just bought this cd yesterday and i love it already. as a trumpeter, i can really enjoy and appreciate the music they perform. i was quite intrigued hearing canon in D (currently playing right now on my stereo), et al.

4 out of 5 stars The one you need.......2000-06-26

If you are to buy only 1 CD for Brass Enemble, Get this! It captured the BEST of the Candian Brass (one of the top brass enemble in the world). It has all the nice tunes, e.g. Four Seasons, Cannon in D, etc. Strongly recommended.
Verdi: Requiem; Quattro pezzi sacri
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • An Energetic and highly Dramatic Verdi Requiem
  • One of two definitive Verdi Requiems
  • DEATH, SALVATION, VERDI & SOLTI: HOW CAN YOU MISS?
 Verdi: Requiem; Quattro pezzi sacri

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000GUJZVE
Release Date: 2006-10-10

Tracks:

  1. Requiem Aeternam & Kyrie
  2. Dies Irae
  3. Tuba Mirum
  4. Liber Scriptus
  5. Quid Sum Miser
  6. Rex Tremendae
  7. Recordare
  8. Ingemisco
  9. Confutatis
  10. Lacrimosa

Tracks:

  1. Domine Jesu Christe
  2. Hostias
  3. IV. Sanctus
  4. V. Agnus Dei
  5. VI. Lux Aeterna
  6. Libera Me
  7. Dies Irae
  8. Requiem Aeternam
  9. Libera Me
  10. I. Ave Maria - Chicago Symphony Chorus
  11. II. Stabat Mater - Chicago Symphony Chorus
  12. III. Laudi Alla Vergine Maria - Chicago Symphony Chorus
  13. IV. Te Deum - Chicago Symphony Chorus

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars An Energetic and highly Dramatic Verdi Requiem.......2007-06-10

Of all of Verdi's latter works, the Verdi requiem is perhaps my favorite after Otello. Although it was written as a Requiem mass, I find that Verdi's composition recalls something that sounds more operatic than parochial, and for this reason, I don't think that it should be treated merely as a church piece. Rather, it should be seen a piece that combines both the elements of the sacred and secular emotions. This recording, one of Decca's most prestigious achievements in the studio, clearly ranks itself as one of the most exciting and beautiful renditions of the Verdi requiem, spearheaded by the Hungarian conductor Sir Georg Solti with the Vienna Philharmonic and the soloists Dame Joan Sutherland, Marilyn Horne, Luciano Pavarotti, and Martti Talvela. Although Solti has been accused of being overly emphatic with his conducting, I think the religious nature of the work tamed his hammy hand and made something beautiful and reverent out of it. No, this doesn't sound like Wagner, and I think that is all for the better. The more reflective parts are played with the kind of virtuosity that only an orchestra like the Vienna Philharmonic can offer, and the more balls against the wall are given a drive that no other recording gives. The Dies Irae is an excellent example of this. This is the second remastering of this awesome choral work by Decca, and you can hear so many details being given more emphasis by the engineers. In short, I think this is the best sounding Verdi requiem on the market, as proven by Decca's quality engineering.

The soloists are one of the most distinguished quartets ever to have sung their respective parts. Luciano Pavarotti in his prime sings the tenor with a meltingly tender line and a phrasing that no one will ever anticipate to surpass. Talvela is the most sonorous and darkest bass ever to sing the gorgeous Confutatis. Horne imbues the alto part with her dark timbre and her graceful phrasing. Her Liber Scriptus, Agnus Dei, and Lux Aeterna are rivalled only by Christa Ludwig and Grace Bumbry. And then there's Joan Sutherland. Although several listeners gripe about the overparted sound of her voice, I think it actually fits the piece quite well. Joan Sutherland had an amazingly huge voice, as large as Birgit Nilsson's whenever she sang any repertoire. It may not be as dark as let's say...Renata Tebaldi, Leontyne Price, Zinka Milanov, or Antonietta Stella, but her ease with the difficult and high lying soprano part makes her singing a treat to listen to. I still love Freni and Gheorghiu in the part, but Joan Sutherland is one of the very best sopranos and no one should criticize her for her diction since it actually sounded very good here.

To sum up, one of the best Verdi Requiems on the market, perhaps the best if you want theater and the sacred combined in one indelible package. This CD set also comes with the composer's Quattro Pezzi Sacre. An essential set!

5 out of 5 stars One of two definitive Verdi Requiems.......2007-05-23

Including the DVD performance with von Karajan/La Scala, I own ten recordings of the Verdi Requiem. Putting the DVD performance aside for a moment, this recording and the Fritz Reiner on Decca Verdi: Requiem are the two that I pull out most frequently. I am biased in that I grew up with this recording which my mother bought after she sang the piece in college in the mid 1960s. Since these two are my favorites, I will compare and contrast.

The appropriateness of having Sutherland as the soprano soloist has always been debated. She has her strengths and weaknesses like any other singer, and oddly enough her quiet high notes aren't the best on record. But her breath control throughout (and especially at the end of the Offertorio) is stunning, and she truly sounds terrified at the beginning of the Libera Me. The duets with Horne have a solidity that is found in most of their work together, sounding much more like a single voice that's managed to produce two notes.

Price's performance with Reiner is legendary. Her low range, which is called upon frequently in this piece as well as the high register, is stronger than Sutherland's, and her quiet high notes are excellent. It is also argued that since Verdi wrote this part for the original Aida, Price is more appropriate to the part.

Horne embodies "mezzo-soprano" singing and is ideal for the part. Her high register is easy but forceful, and she has one of the most dramatic chest voices there is. Elias is also very good, but there's a polish and a variety in Horne's colors that keep me coming back to her recording. It's difficult to believe that the Liber Scriptus, dark and commanding, and the Lux Aeterna, light and ethereal, were sung by the same person.

Pavarotti early in his career, or Björling at the end of it. If only the latter had made the recording a few years before, but he didn't. It remains one of the definitive performances of the part, his tone is remarkably consistent, high notes not quite as easy as they could be, but remarkable. However, Pavarotti in the 60s was a force of nature. His voice is expressive, the second high B-flat in the Ingemisco (on the word "dextra") is quite possibly the best high B-flat sung on record; he sounds like he could have gone UP to the E-flat instead of down. He had also done enough work with Sutherland and Horne that he blends with them excellently.

Talvela and Tozzi are both BIG voices, both true basses, and both excellent. I think that Tozzi gets my vote here for color, though Talvela is an absolute rock of tone and pitch. Talvela also tends towards the Germanic pronunciation of some of the Latin (Quia being pronounced as Kvia, for instance) which occasionally doesn't blend.

Both recordings have the excellent Vienna Philharmonic. Solti, as usual, tends towards the faster side, and Reiner towards the slower. The recording itself is much more dimensional for the Solti since the better part of a decade had passed and the technology had improved, but the newest remastering of the Reiner (on the Decca Legends series) improves it considerably over past efforts. Solti goes for an operatic, dramatic, and occasionally over the top performance, and Reiner is more reverent and restrained. Since Verdi is the master of opera and wrote the Requiem in the style with which he was most comfortable, I think Solti has an extremely valid point conducting it the way he does. Both versions work, both versions hold together, and I wouldn't be without either of them.

5 out of 5 stars DEATH, SALVATION, VERDI & SOLTI: HOW CAN YOU MISS?.......2007-02-07

I think the Verdi Requiem is the greatest Italian opera ever composed.
The old master managed to summon all his experience in the opera house and take the great themes of death, salvation, redemption and forgiveness and weave them into a stunning theatrical experience! (This is definitely not music for a liturgy.) A fantastic performance! Sutherland, freed from the constraints of her husband's boring conducting. Pavarotti, still young and making music instead of doing a "celebrity gig". Horne and Talvela at their considerable best. And Solti, unleashing the furies as only he could. This is a great recording.
(But also check out the Reiner recording with Leontyne Price & Jussi
Bjoerling. Talk about heavenly singing! My own, personal desert island recording. And Solti's later version from Chicago with Price is also a knockout!)
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons/Fritz Kreisler: Concerto for Violin
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A great piece of work
  • Juicy, sumptuous and especially Dramatic
  • Reply to Nutmegger
  • Why has the Penguin Guide ignored this top-notch recording??!!
  • One of the best performances of Vivaldi's Timeless Masterpiece
 Vivaldi: The Four Seasons/Fritz Kreisler: Concerto for Violin
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Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
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  5. Dvorák For Two: Works For Violin & Piano

ASIN: B000001GME
Release Date: 1995-02-07

Tracks:

  1. The 4 Seasons: Spring - Concerto In E Major, Op.8, No.1, RV 269: 1. Allegro
  2. The 4 Seasons: Spring - Concerto In E Major, Op.8, No.1, RV 269: 2. Largo e pianissimo sempre
  3. The 4 Seasons: Spring - Concerto In E Major, Op.8, No.1, RV 269: 3. Danza pastorale: Allegro
  4. The 4 Seasons: Summer - Concerto In G Minor, Op.8, No.2, RV 315: 1. Allegro non molto
  5. The 4 Seasons: Summer - Concerto In G Minor, Op.8, No.2, RV 315: 2. Adagio - Presto
  6. The 4 Seasons: Summer - Concerto In G Minor, Op.8, No.2, RV 315: 3. Presto
  7. The 4 Seasons: Autumn - Concerto In F Major, Op.8, No.3 Rv 293: 1. Allegro
  8. The 4 Seasons: Autumn - Concerto In F Major, Op.8, No.3 Rv 293: 2. Adagio molto
  9. The 4 Seasons: Autumn - Concerto In F Major, Op.8, No.3 Rv 293: 3. Allegro
  10. The 4 Seasons: Winter - Concerto In F Minor, Op.8, No.4, RV 297: 1. Allegro non molto
  11. The 4 Seasons: Winter - Concerto In F Minor, Op.8, No.4, RV 297: 2. Largo
  12. The 4 Seasons: Winter - Concerto In F Minor, Op.8, No.4, RV 297: 3. Allegro
  13. Concerto For Violin: Allegro moderato e maestoso
  14. Concerto For Violin: Andante doloroso
  15. Concerto For Violin: Allegro assai

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A great piece of work.......2006-05-24

I don't pretend to understand all the nuances of classical music. But as a listener I really enjoy it. That said, this piece by Gil is a fantastic piece. I have heard several other "Four Season" recordings, and since I have listened to this one, there are no equals (to me anyway).

5 out of 5 stars Juicy, sumptuous and especially Dramatic.......2006-04-29

Of the myriad of modern-instrument Vivaldi Seasons recordings available, this Gil Shaham recording is just about as good as it gets. Perhaps it eclipses previous recordings by Nigel Kennedy and the Decca recording with Marriner. Shaham scores points over all his modern-instrument rivals with a true spirit of collaboration with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, as if their playing were taking them on a voyage into Vivaldi's picturesque world. Their playing is always fresh-sounding, youthful, alert and spontaneous, and rhythms are well-sprung.

Throughout this performance, we hear how Shaham and Orpheus give their all in bringing out the very best in Vivaldi's score. The spirit that pervades the whole performances beguiles us from the first, positive bars of the Spring concerto, where we can truly feel the embrace of Spring's awakening. Summer is given a suitably dramatic performance, and one can feel the Orpheus players revelling in the ferocity of the summer storm that ravages the land, complete with Shaham's poignant commentaries, especially when portraying the hapless shepherd farmer who loses his corn to the summer storm. Autumn has a suitably rustic atmosphere, with Shaham doing double-duty as tipsy drunkard and fleeing beast during the fiercely vigorous hunting finale. And Winter allows us to feel the true contrasts, with Shaham's technical brilliance in the outer movements contrasting with the sheer lyricism of the slow movement, while the Orpheus playwers ably evoke the cold, bleak atmosphere of the sonnet. The DG recording is clear and beautifully balanced, and the Kreisler concerto makes an unusual and controversial fill-up, together with the bonus CD-Rom of the Winter video. Yet I would have liked there to be the bonus CD of Shaham talking about the music and introducing each concerto, as it would have been more illuminating.

All told, this superb CD should stand as a fresh, artistic success of a modern-instrument Vivaldi Seasons, due to the performers' ability to engage themselves with Vivaldi's soundworld. There is always rhythmic control and you feel that the sense of structure is there. Perhaps this should be the modern-instrument equivalent of Trevor Pinnock's equally celebrated version...

5 out of 5 stars Reply to Nutmegger.......2005-10-14

I've listened to this cd many times, and have enjoyed each time more and more. I also listened while reading the score, and I have to point out that Gil has actually ad libbed a LOT in this recording. To me, it sounds like he was attempting to add a bit of romanticism to an early classical concerto. Some may think that's sacriledge, but I myself think it's a clear indication of the man's ingeniuity and sheer mastery of what you consider 'too much perfection'. I'm sorry, but that seems a bit absurd to me. I've heard people complain about Karajan's interpretations as being too beautiful, but never about someone being too perfect. Honestly, I think your initial reaction was right on. I encourage you to re-examine....hopefully, not while you're doing laundry. :-)

5 out of 5 stars Why has the Penguin Guide ignored this top-notch recording??!!.......2005-08-28

In my opinion, this rendition ranks alongside those by Mutter, Lamon and Perlman, in any possible way. But why has the "authoritative" Penguin Guide ignored this CD and excluded it from its reviews?

5 out of 5 stars One of the best performances of Vivaldi's Timeless Masterpiece.......2005-08-01

When I first saw the cover, the name "Gil Shaham" and "Orpheus" instantly caught my attention. Mr. Shaham, although not my favorites (Including Stern and Perlman), has become one of the prominent violinists today and still may be in the years to come. I loved his performance on the Sibelius' Violin Concerto and Bartok's second. I've heard several recordings from the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, one of my favorite chamber orchestras, and all sounded lush and beautiful, especially Copland's Appalachian Spring Suite.

The performance on this album was very good, and this can be one of the best performances of Vivaldi's Timeless Masterpiece. As usual, the Orpheus sounded great, and Mr. Shaham too showed his virtuosity - all had dynamics, phrasing, etc. The tempo overall of the pieces are more jaunty and fast in feeling, contrast to the more mellow I Musici (my other favorite chamber orchestra) recordings, but I prefer a more upbeat tempi anyway. My highlights include the first movement from "Spring", the violent third from "Summer", a serene second from "Autunm", and finally the climatic thrid from "Winter"...

Take a listen and you'll probably love it too. One of the best discographies from both music superstars, Gil Shaham and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Experience and energy
  • An interesting "Four Seasons"...
  • There are better 4 Seasons out there!
  • Definitive and Sublime
  • You've Tried The Rest, Now Try The Best
 Vivaldi: The Four Seasons

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  5. Bach: Brandenburg Concertos No. 1-4; Neville Marriner; Academy of St. Martin in the Fields

ASIN: B000001G7I
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. Concerto In E Major - Spring: Allegro
  2. Concerto In E Major - Spring: Largo
  3. Concerto In E Major - Spring: Allegro
  4. Concerto In G Minor - Summer: Allegro Non Molto - Allegro
  5. Concerto In G Minor - Summer: Adagio
  6. Concerto In G Minor - Summer: Presto
  7. Concerto In F Major - Autumn: Allegro
  8. Concerto In F Major - Autumn: Adagio Molto
  9. Concerto In F Major - Autumn: Allegro
  10. Concerto In F Minor - Winter: Allegro Non Molto
  11. Concerto In F Minor - Winter: Largo
  12. Concerto In F Minor - Winter: Allegro

Amazon.com

While it may not be the most rewarding way to approach this music in the long run, having four star violinists dish up a season apiece is a lot of fun, especially if you're interested in comparing styles and sounds. Mintz is bright and wiry; Perlman rich, brilliant and intense; Zukerman dark and suave; and Stern has that marvelous, warm, "old-school" sound with an almost vocal vibrato. And the violins of the Israel Philharmonic? They play as though every one of them could step up and take a solo, no doubt because having four luminaries on the stage made them want to give of their best. While the interpretations, individually and collectively, don't offer much that is new or remarkable, the sense of occasion is palpable. DG's live recording, made at the Huberman Festival in Israel in 1982, is nicely balanced and quite atmospheric. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Experience and energy.......2007-05-04

The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi is so familiar to listeners of orchestral music that mention of the work is likely to get a few eye rolls, or even yawns, and all this exposure to the Seasons means there are a lot of recordings in the musical domain. So, with all these recordings, which one best represents Vivaldi's intent? There are two reasons this performance is the best Le quattro stagioni. The first reason is the amount of experience and talent the solo violinists brought to the work. The culmination of decades-long familiarity is easy to hear with artists like Pinchas Zukerman and Itzhak Perlman, and then add the gift of genius in Isaac Stern and Shlomo Mintz. Not often considered, also, this recording is of a live performance, the Huberman Festival in 1982, and the audience provides an infusion of energy to where every passage is crisp and clean and passionate. The final allegro in Autumn, for example, is so bright, so resplendently paced, that there has to be some unknown force of perfection at play. It was the audience, listening, interacting with their minds, helping the musicians to release the music to a sort of cumulative, artistic intuition.

4 out of 5 stars An interesting "Four Seasons"..........2006-01-21

In this curious album, Maestro Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra invte a party of four of the most talented male violinists to perform Antonio Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" and have each of them do one of the seasons. In this live recording (there is also an applause after the end of each music), Stern (one of my favorite violinists) starts off in the spotlight with "Spring", Zukerman awes us with "Summer", Mintz delights us with "Autumn", and Perlman (my other favorite) shines and round off the cycle with "Winter". While some listeners (including myself) may dislike the relatively slow and heavy tempo in contrast to other lighter recordings (including Shaham with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, in my opinion the best performance of the cycle), it's interesting to listen to and feel the four soloist's different insights. It's worth listening.

3 out of 5 stars There are better 4 Seasons out there!.......2003-07-24

I really love Isaac Stern and Itzhak Perlman, but I think they were both having an "off" day here--this isn't a particularly good Four Seasons. Much better, and far more inspired recording of the Four Seasons is the Trevor Pinnock/Simon Standage recording on Archiv records. Get that one!

5 out of 5 stars Definitive and Sublime.......2003-07-13

This one is for the ages. The four violinists bring out the best in one another without compromising their own timbre. The Israel Philharmonic, always one of the world's top five five orchestras, shines brilliantly proving again Toscanini's statement that the Israel Philharmonic and an orchestra of soloists. The applause is annoying but you forget it quickly.

5 out of 5 stars You've Tried The Rest, Now Try The Best.......2003-01-07

The Four Seasons is a Baroque masterpiece, at paar with all the classic compositions from Bach and Handel. Antonio Vivaldi created, without knowing it, in theory, the first musical tone poem. He was describing through music (primarily a string orchestra) the four seasons-winter, spring, summer and fall, describing what could have been the lines of a poem, or four different scenes. On this recording, with the prestigious label and the virtuouso violinists Iztak Pearlman and Isaac Stern, the experience is the best. Baroque perfection. As is the case with all my reviews, I will discuss the structure of the piece and give my thoughts as to the quality of this particular recording. I have already judged it terrific, and truly the best recording of Vivaldi's Four Seasons. Now it's up to you to hear the recording and get the desire to listen to the whole thing, not just for leisure, but for inspiration and for music appreciation.

The winter movements are appropriately slow, bleak, chilly, you can almost feel the frost on the ground and the snow falling slowly over hazy skies. The faster movements denote a snowstorm, there is no one out in such invernal conditions. The adagio movement is a description of a house with a warm fire burning during the cold front. The soothing strings and the faint quality of the piece can be like a dream. It's truly Vivaldi's most romantic piece.

The spring movement is by far the most joyful. The trees are full of leaves again, the snow has melted and the flowers bloom in the fields. The country folk return to their activities and romance seems to be in the air. The allegro movement is the most famous of the movements, an elegant, virtuosic and brilliant piece for strings, with an accent on the continuo. The spring movement is best heard over a relaxing state- drinking tea, a bubble bath, a dinner, and the same thing can be said about the slower movements of all the Four Seasons. Finally, the summer and fall movements are chalk-full of rich melody, the summer "storm" movement dark and lush, its theme on the rapid violin scale has been featured in films and Deberrs Diamonds commercials. Full of counterpoint, flowing melodies, charming adagios, the Four Seasons makes up the best of Baroque. Vivaldi's creed was forever made upon this composition. I strongly suggest you get this recording. It is for music lovers, for classical music collectors and perfect to relaxe to after a long day at work. Take my word for it. I teach music and dance. Five stars well deserved and kudos to the great masters of the violin, Pearlman and Stern.
Berlioz: Requiem; Boito: Prologue to Mefistofele
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Outstanding
  • Great but not the Ultimate
  • A superb modern performance of the Berlioz Requiem.
  • Utterly magnificent!
  • Fantastic Recording of a Fantastic Work!
 Berlioz: Requiem; Boito: Prologue to Mefistofele

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003CTJ
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. I. Requiem Et Kyrie
  2. II. Dies Irae
  3. III. Quid Sum Miser
  4. IV. Rex Tremendae
  5. V. Quaerens Me
  6. VI. Lacrymosa
  7. VII. Offertorium
  8. VIII. Hostias

Tracks:

  1. IX. Sanctus - John Aler
  2. X. Agnus Dei - John Aler
  3. I. Prelude And Chorus - John Cheek
  4. II. Instrumental Scherzo And Dramatic Intermezzo
  5. III. Vocal Scherzo
  6. IV. Final Psalmody
  7. Te Deum

Amazon.com essential recording

As one would expect, Robert Shaw's rendition of the Requiem is magnificently polished, with choral singing that is beyond compare. The drama is not quite as pronounced as with Davis and Munch, but the work's majestic architecture stands clearly revealed. For once, Telarc's thunderous, bass-heavy pickup adds something to the sonic picture. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Outstanding.......2005-12-28

Of all the modern recordings of Berlioz' Requiem, Robert Shaw's is the best on every count.

I wouldn't want to be without it.

However, I also wouldn't want to spend a day without the immortal Charles Munch/Boston Symphony version. Especially in the stunning new hybrid SACD remastering.

Simply, this is one of those times when it is just common sense to own two best recordings of the same work.

If you love this work and know these two recordings, you understand why.

4 out of 5 stars Great but not the Ultimate.......2004-09-09

Whenever I hear works like this (or Mozart's or Verdi's or Brahm's Requiems) I am still in awe of the intellectual and emotional depths to which the composer plunged. This is a good, some might say great recording. I too am a Telarc fan and think their work is of the highest quality. Saying that, I will say that I found the work slightly "sterile" at least compared to Sir Thomas Beecham and the Royal Philharmonic recording that is nothing short of titantic.

Beecham seemed to put his whole heart and soul into the project whereas the current recording is one of intellectual rather than emotional interest. I judge Requiems an odd way - by listening to the Lacrymosa. Whether it is Mozart or Verdi or Berliotz, this particular element seems to hit emotional paydirt. Judging in this case I find it (again) entirely adequate but without the verve of the Beecham recording.

One other thing - many times the orchestra overwhelms the vocalist and this should NEVER be the case unless directly ordered by the composer. What's more, this should never happen in a modern recording studio.

5 out of 5 stars A superb modern performance of the Berlioz Requiem........2003-12-12

Two hundred years ago today, Louis-Hector Berlioz was born. This is a day for me to comment on a few of my favorite performances of his works, some of them "favorites by acclamation" and others simply those in which I find special merit, enough so that they are frequently in my CD players.

Berlioz's Requiem is, with Giuseppe Verdi's "Manzoni" Requiem, one of the two great dramatic renderings of this text; works that have stood the test of time. If the Verdi work is the more frequently performed and operatic Requiem, the Berlioz is the more "forward-looking" and not at all lacking in its own drama and grandeur.

One needs to go "back into the vaults" to find a recorded performance of this essential Berlioz work that matches Robert Shaw's stunning version in its balance of sublime beauty and visceral excitement, not to mention its spacious sonics, all the way back to the much earlier performances by Charles Munch and Sir Thomas Beecham in fact. And then, of course, one pays a fairly heavy penalty in terms of sonics.

Despite the resources required, the work hardly lacks for "decent" recordings that are more modern than the Beecham and Munch ones, by such esteemed Berlioz specialists as Sir Colin Davis and Charles Dutoit, as well as by James Levine, Lorin Maazel, Seiji Ozawa and Sir Andre Previn. But "decent" is just not good enough; some of these fail to catch fire in one way or another, and none of them have the choral excellence of this Shaw recording under consideration. Only the Dutoit (in an otherwise curiously unengaging performance) can come close to matching Shaw in terms of recorded sound. (In fairness, I confess to not yet having heard John Eliot Gardiner's recording. It may, in its HIP [historically informed performance] way, be the equal of this Shaw recording.)

Shaw finds the appropriate dynamic contrasts in the work, from the gentlest supplications of the "Sanctus" and "Agnus Dei" to the most violent outbursts of the "Dies irae" and "Rex tremendae." The sound - and the perception of depth and spatial effects - is of demonstration quality, particularly in the "Tuba mirum" section of the "Dies irae," for which four brass bands are disposed at the extreme corners of the recording venue at Atlanta Symphony Hall.

The blazing originality of Berlioz shines through everywhere, not just in the instrumental (and choral) outbursts. The otherworldly effect in the "Hostias" of having flutes and trombones separated by many octaves, to represent the immensity of the distance from Heaven to Hell, is captured perfectly, right down to the trombones' pedal-tone growl (just one of many Berlioz innovations). John Aler, arguably our very best "American French tenor," is splendid in the "Sanctus," and the Shaw chorus, needless to say, is one that is seldom - if ever - topped.

John Aler can also be found on a Delos recording of another Berlioz work in a similar vein, the Te Deum (conducted by Dennis Keene), a recording I recommend highly. Regrettably, Robert Shaw never committed the Berlioz Te Deum to disc; it would have made a perfect filler. (This might be because of the special antiphonal "call and response" requirements between orchestra and organ that Berlioz takes pains to specify. Aler/Keene had the benefit of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine for their recording, a perfect venue for the work.)

But the two fillers in this boxed set - the Prologue to Arrigo Boito's Mefistofele and Verdi's Te Deum - which earlier filled a Telarc LP - are nonetheless excellent "fits" for the Berlioz Requiem.

I can remember, a quarter-century ago, when Norman Treigle "owned" the role of Mefistofele while he was at the New York City Opera (an ownership that was subsequently taken over by Samuel Ramey upon Treigle's unfortunate death by suicide). If John Cheek isn't quite the match for Treigle or Ramey, he doesn't miss by much. And the ASO performance and Telarc recording quality are pretty much assured of shaking your rafters just as well as the dramatic parts of the Berlioz work will.

The Verdi work is equally fine, but not nearly as cataclysmic as his "Manzoni" Requiem or Berlioz's own Te Deum.

The age of these performances (1984 for the Berlioz and 1979 for the fillers) doesn't show a bit. And neither does Berlioz the composer, 200 years old today.

Bon anniversaire, M. Berlioz!

Bob Zeidler

5 out of 5 stars Utterly magnificent!.......2003-06-02

A while ago I gave my opinion of Dutoit's recording of the Berlioz Requiem on this site, and took the opportunity to sing the praise of this magnificent work - extensively so, and I won't repeat myself here. But every time I hear it, it again seems to grow in stature. In fact, I feel this work is so profound that it is more than worthy to stand alongside those other very greatest choral works in history, Beethoven's Missa Solemnis and Bach's Hohe Messe.
And this recording must be the best one made of it (there really ought to be many, many more to choose from, though!). That Shaw knows how to get the best out of a chorus we knew, but frankly I haven't been unreservedly happy with his handling of the orchestra in some other recordings (Mahler's Eight seems a relevant case in point). However, no such reservations here. Details are meticulously moulded, tempo's perfectly judged, and dynamics closely observed (though a little more 'swell' would have been welcome here and there). Rhythmic articulation is stunningly crisp both in chorus and orchestra (notice the choral singing in the Kyrie!). John Aler is the perfect soloist in the Sanctus, giving an unforced, deeply dignified reading of a piece that too often is allowed to veer towards the operatic - and this Requiem certainly isn't opera!
To top things of all these glorious sounds are caught in the best Telarc fashion, with completely natural perspectives and a thrillingly spacial feel to the four brass bands - not only in the Tuba Mirum, but in their quieter parts elsewhere too. Details remain clearly audible when textures thicken. All in all, a recording that allows full and unhampered immersion in this deeply moving and at times overwhelming masterpiece. I would still like to here John Elliot Gardiner's take on this work, as I did after hearing the Dutoit, but I doubt he can do very much better than this.

5 out of 5 stars Fantastic Recording of a Fantastic Work!.......2003-02-08

The Berlioz Requiem is seldom performed, simply because of the sheer enormity of the production and the number of musicians involved. The large main orchestra is surrounded by four brass choirs, in addition to a choir of several hundred voices. There are no less than 16 tympanists, 18 trombonists, 12 horns and nine cymbalists.

I've only heard it performed live once, with the brass choirs placed equidistantly around the large performance hall, and it was an event never to be forgotten! This recording approximates that experience. It's really a great recording and sure to become an important selection in your classical music library!
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons (Le Quattro Stagioni Op 8 Nos 1-4) /Standage * English Concert * Pinnock
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • The best recording of this piece
  • Mechanical and Unimpressive
  • The best Four Seasons ever!
  • Thrilling, improvisational, and tightly synchronized
  • Great, but check out Pina Carmirelli's version too
 Vivaldi: The Four Seasons (Le Quattro Stagioni Op 8 Nos 1-4) /Standage * English Concert * Pinnock
Antonio Vivaldi , Trevor Pinnock , The English Concert , and Simon Standage
Manufacturer: Archiv Produktion
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by VivaldiAll Works by Vivaldi | Vivaldi, Antonio | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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GeneralGeneral | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
ViolinViolin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
Pinnock, TrevorPinnock, Trevor | ( P ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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  2. Vivaldi Concertos
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  4. Vivaldi: 7 Concerti
  5. Bach: Concertos

ASIN: B0000057CA
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. The Four Seasons: 1. Allegro
  2. The Four Seasons: 2. Largo e pianissimo sempre
  3. The Four Seasons: 3. Danza pastorale. Allegro
  4. The Four Seasons: 1. Allegro non molto
  5. The Four Seasons: 2. Adagio - Presto
  6. The Four Seasons: 3. Presto
  7. The Four Seasons: 1. Allegro
  8. The Four Seasons: 2. Adagio
  9. The Four Seasons: 3. Allegro
  10. The Four Seasons: 1. Allegro non molto
  11. The Four Seasons: 2. Largo
  12. The Four Seasons: 3. Allegro

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The best recording of this piece.......2007-04-04

This is by far the best recording I've ever heard of The Four Seasons. It isn't rushed, it doesn't drag, the pauses and ritards are just perfect, and the musicianship of the Pinnock and Standage is superb.

3 out of 5 stars Mechanical and Unimpressive.......2005-10-09

Trevor Pinnock is one of the leaders in conducting German Baroque pieces such as Bach's and is a reknown performer for Bach's harpsichord works but his skilled discipline is a diservice to his conducting Vivaldi or Italian Baroque pieces as he conducts from the harpsichord from where he is conducting Bach and not Vivaldi. This is still not the worst interpretation in the countless recordings presently on the market (almost all of which are simply horrible) but it is certainly not one of the best ones either.

Pinnock and The English Concert come more from a German Baroque background and emphasize their techniques of precision too much as opposed to emphasizing on the free lyrical requirements of this particular piece. As a result, they sound as if they are struggling with the piece instead of actually playing its lyrical imagery. The performance is sluggish and slow when the piece actually requires a more feverish interpretation. The ensemble mostly sounds like its losing its tempo as a result.

The spotlight reviewer claiming that he/she heard almost all renditions of 'The Four Seasons' has obviously not heard of I Musici di Roma or their 1982 performance with Pina Carmirelli. Although I Musici sacrifices some of the more archaic Baroque techniques for Italian Romantic ones, they pretty much stay with traditional Baroque forms and perform almost exclusively on Stradivarius instruments that are incomparable in their quality and range of sound. The strings in Pinnock's performance here may play a original period violins but they are certainly not Stradivari: there is simply no comparison. The lead violist, as with Pinnock also seems more to have more training in German Baroque than Italian and this also undermines their overall performance of this work. In comparison to Pinnock and his Bach background, I Musici are unquestionably some of the best Baroque musicians in the world particularly for Italian High Baroque such as Vivaldi. They have been around for 50 years and have been praised by Toscanini as being singularly the best Baroque ensemble in the world. Another very good Stradivarius performance is by Salvatore Accardo and I Solisti delle Settimane Musicali di Napoli. Accardo had actually played this piece with I Musici before but this is probably his own best performance as a soloist for this piece. Despite Accardo's phenomenal talent for Vivaldi, I have found really no better work than Pina Carmirelli's 1982 performance. Superior to Accardo in mood, clarity, and continuity, it simply leaves Trevor Pinnock's rather pedantic performance shamefully in the dust along with all others that are out on the market as the differences are exponential.

5 out of 5 stars The best Four Seasons ever!.......2005-09-07

Nothing I've heard about this masterpiece is comparable to the Pinnock and Co. performance. A joy for the ears, soul and heart. A piece everybody wants to have in her/his collection. I like also the sound of this CD.

This work will be a reference for many years to come.

5 out of 5 stars Thrilling, improvisational, and tightly synchronized.......2005-03-23

To most people, Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" is the ultimate example of wallpaper music, fit only for pretentious wine and cheese soirees and background music in TV ads. And sadly, there are many bland performances on the market that vindicate this stereotype, draining these four fascinating concertos of their exceptional color and vitality.

To counter this stereotype, some performers misguidedly drench The Four Seasons in anachronistic emotionality, overwhelming Vivaldi's textures with orchestras that are too large, tempos that are too plodding, and drippy romantic-era flourishes that gum up the works. The best performances are more subtle, bringing out the improvisational quality of the solo violin writing, the vividness and delicacy of the nature-painting, and the buoyancy and tenseness of the ensemble writing throughout.

This CD is such a performance! In this pathbreaking digital recording from the 1980s, Trevor Pinnock and his ensemble, fronted by the phenomenally talented violin soloist Simon Standage, deliver unparalleled drama, delicacy, and virtuoso showmanship. "Spring" is childlike and stately; "Summer" is languorous and vaguely ominous; "Autumn" is jaunty and free-spirited; and "Winter," the climax of the cycle, is performed with almost psychedelic clarity--the falling rain is almost tangible in the slow movement, and the edgy, improvisational final movement is so vivid you can practically feel yourself slipping on the ice as The Four Seasons approaches its furious close.

Throughout the performance, the English Concert accompanies Standage with almost frightening precision, and Standage's solo runs are simply breathtaking in their speed and communicative tension. No other performance of the Four Seasons combines such well-balanced sound with such incredible virtuosity.

In sum, highly recommended!

P.S. I suppose I neglected to mention that this is an "original-instrument" performance. I really don't care much about that either way; the whole debate is pretty pretentious. What I like is a great, communicative performance--period! However, if the "authentic" sound will bother you, I recommend Neville Marriner's 1970 performance of The Four Seasons with the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. It has the rounder, warmer sound of modern instruments but captures much of the buoyant, improvisational quality (and dramatic tension) that is so crucial to these works. Most importantly, it respects the balance of the baroque orchestra, bringing out the drama and color that Vivaldi wrote rather than ladling soup all over it. It's really a wonderful performance, and it's pretty cheap too, last time I checked.

4 out of 5 stars Great, but check out Pina Carmirelli's version too.......2004-07-22

The review of this version of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons (Simon Standage with The English Concert directed by Trevor Pinnock) dated December 22, 2003 by "A Music Fan" from San Diego, CA mentioned that you might want to check out the I Musici version too. (S)he is right. But (s)he misspelled the name of the soloist, Pina Carmirelli, causing me to hurle invective at the computer until I finally tracked it down. It's the version dated October 25, 1990, on the Philips Digital Classics label, ASIN: B0000040VO. And yeah, it's a doozy. You might want to own both. They're intriguingly different.

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